(text is machine translated by Google)
In addition to the buildings, the way of using the public space was also stimulating, where all means of transport, including pedestrians, moved with equal legitimacy. Minimal road markings (both vertical and horizontal) led to greater consideration. When traveling for architecture, one should not only observe local buildings, but also get to know cultural customs and consume specialties, which in the case of Belgium means tasting famous fries and getting to know the abundant production of breweries. The giant French fries tasting took place in the shade (Robbrecht en Daem, M.J. Van Hee, 2012) and the joint tour of Belgian architecture ended with a sit-down opposite the medieval Gravensteen castle, which only got its current form in 1907.
For those interested in contemporary foreign architecture the Italian Autumn 2022 lecture cycle is being prepared in the autumn, which will again be connected with an excursion to northern Italy.
Belgian spring 2022 - report from the excursion
At the beginning of June, FA BUT master's students went to Belgium as part of the optional subject Contemporary Architecture, so that they could experience with their own senses some of the buildings presented during the lecture series Belgian Spring 2022. Due to the pandemic, previous excursions to Porto and Basel had to be limited to individual trips to specific buildings, so this year's Belgian trip could once again continue the tradition of joint trips to European capitals, where theoretical knowledge from lectures collides directly on the spot with everyday reality. The concept of the course is based on a proven idea promoted by, among others professor Emil Přikryl that "there is only one way to know architecture and that is direct visual experience". The method of teaching takes the example of associate professor Petr Rezko, who leads his Liberec students to their own initiative and independence. Those who want credit from him must step out of their comfort zone and arrive at a specific location, often beyond the Czech borders, on the given date. Transport, accommodation and the program in Belgium were under the responsibility of the students. The students set a meeting date for Tuesday, June 7 at 2:00 p.m. in front of the MAS building (Neutelings Riedijk Architects, 2010) on the northern edge of the historic center of Antwerp, where the former shipping docks are gradually being converted into a residential area with dozens of new apartment buildings from world-class and domestic studios. Over the last decade, solitary tower buildings and compact block buildings have grown up side by side, so you can see in practice the pros and cons of individual solutions. From the publicly accessible roof terrace of the MAS, you can quickly create an overview of the city, its landmarks and get your bearings in the city faster. In the pavilions at the entrance to the MAS there is an information center (similar to the Prague CAMP) where visitors can learn about all the planned constructions. According to the motto of associate professor Rezek, that the excursion should never return by the same route, in addition to the planned buildings, we were able to discover other architectural gems in Antwerp, which were not necessarily only from the last century. Design courage and craftsmanship can also be inspired by significantly older objects (if the observer has the right optics, which is a reference to the publication "...I only see what I know" by Viennese technology professor František Lesák). Another massive development in Antwerp is underway in the southern suburbs around the court complex by Richard Rogers. However, the students did not plan to visit this area until Thursday, because on Wednesday afternoon we had an appointment at the architecture studio Robbrecht en Daem, where the founder of the office, Paul Robbrecht, took us through his small earthly paradise created in a former industrial hall in the eastern suburbs of Ghent. We set out for Ghent from the magnificent station building (L. Delacenserie, J. Asperen, 1905), which can compete with many a cathedral with its entrance hall. The hour-long train journey through the densely populated countryside helped to get a sense of how Belgians are prepared for the energy transition (solar collectors are installed on almost every second gable roof) and also to wonder how creatively one can deal with open masonry. It rained heavily for almost half of our stay, so there was enough time to get to know the interiors of the buildings and, above all, the quality of the interior layout of the De Krook city library (RCR arquitectes, Coussée&Goris, 2017) in Ghent, which is criticized for its steely coldness and lack of color. During our unplanned stay of several hours, we noticed how intensively the building is used. One continuous space offers a perfect overview of what is happening outside and inside, but at the same time the individual user groups do not interfere with each other.In addition to the buildings, the way of using the public space was also stimulating, where all means of transport, including pedestrians, moved with equal legitimacy. Minimal road markings (both vertical and horizontal) led to greater consideration. When traveling for architecture, one should not only observe local buildings, but also get to know cultural customs and consume specialties, which in the case of Belgium means tasting famous fries and getting to know the abundant production of breweries. The giant French fries tasting took place in the shade (Robbrecht en Daem, M.J. Van Hee, 2012) and the joint tour of Belgian architecture ended with a sit-down opposite the medieval Gravensteen castle, which only got its current form in 1907.
For those interested in contemporary foreign architecture the Italian Autumn 2022 lecture cycle is being prepared in the autumn, which will again be connected with an excursion to northern Italy.
| Inserted by | Šmídek Petr, MgA. Ing.arch. PhD. |
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